Fi-nes-sin’ – /fəˈnes sin/ verb: Doing something at it’s greatest level
Aus-tin – /ôstÉ™n/ noun: The greatest city on the planet
Playing football at it’s greatest level, in the greatest city on the planet, is a lot of superlatives. But if you saw McNeal playing offense, defense, and special teams for the Poteet Pirates over the last 4 years, you’d know it’s not hype – it’s on the real.
(I’ll save you a Google translation…that means that McNeal’s talent is prodigious.)
The key to McNeal’s ability to finesse is self-confidence.
– Not many 17 year-old athletes could withstand playing in Malik Jefferson’s shadow for 10 years.
– Several recruits made the news earlier this year, expressing concern over college coaches recruiting them, then leaving for a different school.
– Blue chip prospects don’t normally play on all three phases for their high school team, instead choosing to specialize on the position of their future.
But DeAndre McNeal isn’t like most recruits. Overflowing with a genuine confidence that never seems boastful, McNeal is self-assured enough to ignore what would cause most high-profile prospects to balk.
When Charlie Strong came calling last year, he was a solid fit for the Poteet star. McNeal describes Strong as “a great man†and “eagerâ€, but that wasn’t what tipped the scale in the Longhorns’ favor. It was Strong’s confidence and singular focus that sold McNeal, “Charlie will do whatever it takes to win.â€
Although McNeal was principally recruited by Brian Jean-Mary, his future position coach, Les Koenning, was fired after Arkansas annihilated Texas in the Texas Bowl. Unlike many recruits around the country, McNeal says he never hesitated during the staff turnover, “The only thing that changed is the coaching staff. The game will never change.â€
McNeal’s confidence is obvious in a statement like that, but Strong and UT certainly helped ease their case when Jay Norvell was hired. “I talk to Coach Norvell every week. He’s always asking me if I’m doing good and making sure I’m doing everything that I need to be doing to succeed at the next level. I really appreciate that,†said McNeal. He added that his conversations with Novell extend beyond playing football, “He [Norvell] is trying to better me as a man.â€
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